stephen R Harrison

Jesus is the Answer for Sinful Man’s Need for Salvation

Jesus is the only answer for sinful man’s need for salvation. Only He can forgive sin. Romans 5:6-10 says, 

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

Discussion Questions: 

1. What does this verse say about the saving of ourselves? 
2. What did Christ do for sinners?
3. What does it mean to be justified by His blood? What about being saved from God’s wrath?
4. What does it mean that we are reconciled to Him through the Son? What about being saved through His life?

Man Must Respond to the Gospel Message

God made a way through Jesus, His Son, back to right standing and a relationship with Him. Jesus saves! Jesus forgives sin! Jesus gives eternal life! That’s the Gospel message!

For a man to be saved, he must not just know about the Gospel message but respond to it. Romans 10:9-10 helps us with this.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

God desires people to be saved. He wants them to respond to Jesus’ death and resurrection by declaring with their mouths and believing in their hearts that Jesus is Lord and has been raised from the dead. It’s more than knowledge in the mind but a transformation in the heart. People must respond to and obey the Gospel to be saved.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it essential for Elders to share the Gospel?
2. Why is it essential for Elders to understand the Gospel?